For once I had a lovely friend called Bintu Hassan. That was during my primary school years. We were always together outside classes. People address us as twins. She was a humble, kind hearted, genial and friendly individual. Above all she was sharp and intelligent. She always topped the class whenever there was test or end of term examination.

I can remember that in the six years of our primary education, the first position in class was occupied only once by another person. That was second term examinations of 1997 in which she missed one examination. After graduation from primary school in 2000, she got admission into one of the Federal Government Girls’ Colleges. There too she maintained top positions in the class. She had eight credits in West African School Certificate Examinations. She gained admission into A.B.U to read Veterinary Medicine.
Unfortunately we lost contact. I did everything possible to have her contact but to no avail. It was so sadder but then we separated for a while losing contacts and then oh!
Accidently, I met with my former secondary school mate who was studying BSc. Geology in the same university with my friend Bintu. He told me that Bintu died of Hepatitis B on the 9th May, 2015. I was shocked and devastated by the news. I lost taste of myself and everything I ate for some-time. Her dreams to set up pioneer animal clinic and promise to take adequate care of her aged mother have all gone! Hepatitis B is an enemy that my ears don’t what to hear.
Then February this year, our next door neighbour lost a son to Hepatitis B in a short period of time. Before his death, he was a part four student of Radiography University of Maiduguri. I paused myself and asked what Hepatitis B up to? From that moment, I took it upon myself to find out what Hepatitis B is, its cause, symptoms and prevention to enlighten public.
I found that Hepatitis B is a persistent life-threatening disease that affects liver caused by the hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B is one among the five categories of the deadly hepatitis virus A, C, D and E and put individuals prompt to risks of death from cirrhosis and liver cancer.
People infected with Hepatitis B develop illnesses that last for weeks, including yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. While others with acute hepatitis can develop acute liver failure which can lead to death.
Chronic hepatitis B develops slowly without noticeable symptoms until complications develop. This gives it the ability of its being a silent killer. And for now there is no specific treatment for acute Hepatitis B. But maintaining adequate nutritional balance and replacement of fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhoea have been practice (W.H.O. Report on Hepatitis B (July 2016).
Hepatitis B virus can be transmitted from mother to child at birth. It is also transmitted by contact with infected blood and other infected body fluids such as saliva, menstrual, vaginal, and seminal fluids. Sexual contact is another form Hepatitis B is transmitted which often leads to chronic hepatitis. Transmission of the virus may also occur through reuse of needles and syringes. Furthermore, infection may occur during medical, surgical or dental procedures, through tattooing, or through the use of razors and similar objects that are contaminated with infected blood. Blood transfusion of unscreened blood is the commonest mode of transmission in rural areas where heath facilities are poor.
Hepatitis B is prevented by administering vaccine after birth. The vaccine is said to work by inducing protective antibody level in infants, children and young adults. Protection lasts for at least 20 years. That is the reason medical workers call on all persons particularly those younger than 18 years who has not received the vaccine to do so. World Health Organisation (WHO) organises World Hepatitis Day on July 28th each year to increase awareness and understanding of hepatitis virus. To make the public more aware of Hepatitis B private individuals, None Governmental Organization (NGO), and Governments at all levels need to carryout intensive enlightenment programmes. And once the society is aware of the do and dons of Hepatitis B its devastating effect on the youthful age group could be drastically cute tiled. In the memory of my dearest friend Bintu, I wish to set up NGO after my studies to enlighten the public about Hepatitis B.
Ngubdo is a 400 level student of the department of mass communication university of Maiduguri.